Leather-cutting tool



(N0 Modl.)

H. OOMSTOGK. LEATHER CUTTING TOOL.

No. 427,461. Patented m 6, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY COHSTOCK, OF FULTON, NEHV YORK.

.. LEATHER-CUTTING TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,461, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed September 13, 1889. Serial No. 323,841. (No model.) i

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY COMSTOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fulton, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Devices for Cutting Leather, 850., of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to devices for cutting leather and similar fabrics into thongs or strips to form lacin gs for belts and shoes, and to produce narrow strips of uniform width for other purposes.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive cutter, adapted to accurately cut leather into thongs, strips, or lacings of any uniform width, and so constructed as to avoid the tendency upon the part of thin leather to buckle up 01' shrivel under the action of the cutter, whereby the device is rendered operative upon leather of any thickness.

To such end the invention consists in the combination or arrangement of devices, hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the instrument with the parts in position for cutting; and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the jaws opened.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my said invention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, wherein- The reference-numeral 1 indicates the lower member or jaw, having a ring 2 or other hand hold or grasp of a form suitable to be conveniently held by the hand of the operator. The upper member or jaw 3 is connected by a hinge or pivot pin with one end of the lower jaw, and the upper jaw carries a cutter 4, having a beveled edge, the point of which enters a notch 5 in the edge of the lower jaw when the two jaws are closed. The cutter is provided with a slot 6, through which passes'a set-screw 7 for adjusting the cutter vertically to compensate for wear. A friction-plate 8 is pivoted intermediate its ends to the under side of the upper jaw in such manner that the. plate can rock between the jaws and thereby place its lower face into parallelism with the inner surface of the lower jaw. The pivotal connection between the friction-plate and jaw is composed, as here shown,of a cylindrical portion 9, formed on the friction-plate and engaging and adapted to turn in a cylindrical socket-bearing formed in the under side of the upper jaw. The friction-plate can rock independent of the cutter 4, and such rocking plate accommodates itself to the leather or other material and prevents the latter from buckling, so that the instrument will practically operate on leather of different thicknesses.

The hinge-connection 10 between the two jaws is placed at the side most remote from the cutter to permit the insertion of the leather, and is of such length as to allow the insertion and operation of the friction-block, the forward end of which preferably extends somewhat beyond the edge of the cutter, the end of the block being cut away to form a recess 12, in which the cutter lies, thereby allowing the edge of the block to lie in the same plane with or a little outside of the cuttingedge.

An adjustable gage 13 is mounted on the lower jaw and lies in a recess 14, formed by cutting away one angle of the friction-block, and a guide-flange 15 may be formed upon the edge of either jaw, if desired.

The leather is inserted by spreading the jaws and bringing the edge of the leather up to the gage 13. The upper jaw is then forced downward, clamping the friction-plate down upon the leather and compelling the latter to pass to the cutter between two opposite and parallel faces, whereby all buckling and wrinkling of the leather is prevented, and a perfectly smooth clean cut is given, producing astrip orlacing of uniform width throughout; or the cutter may be forced into the edge of the leather and then, when the strip is formed, caused to cut its way out, thus giving a point upon each extremity of the lacing.

lVhat I claim is- 1. In a thong or strip cutter, the combination of two jaws hinged together at one end,

a cutter secured to and moving with one of thev jaws, and a friction-plate pivoted to the under side of one of the jaws and adapted to rock between the jaws independent of the cutter, substantially as described.

2. In a thong or strip cutter, the combination, with a jaw having a ring or other suitable hand-hold and provided with an adj ustable gage, of a jaw hinged to the end of the first jaw and provided with a beveled-edge cutter, and a friction block or plate pivotally mounted on the second jaw and having a recess receiving the end of the cutter and an opposite recess accommodating the gage, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY COMSTOCK.

Witnesses:

FRED BENNETT, N. N. STRANAHAN. 

